Push to save landfill plan from scrapheap
Among the 'sweeteners' in last-ditch bid to win lawmakers' support for expansion is a scheme to make rubbish trucks a little less smelly
The environment chief is making last-ditch efforts to win support for expansion of the city's refuse tips with a range of "sweeteners" - including sweeter-smelling rubbish trucks.
Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing is expected to speak today about his plans for persuading legislators to drop their opposition to landfill expansion, which the government says is desperately needed to cope with Hong Kong's growing waste crisis.
A source familiar with the situation said one proposal was to subsidise the operators of hundreds of rubbish-collection trucks to modify their vehicles to reduce leakage and then to ban unmodified trucks from landfills.
This is aimed at reducing the smell that is among Tseung Kwan O residents' objections to expansion of the tip near their homes.
It would be in addition to banning food waste from the tip and cutting the frequency of waste deliveries by truck in half.
The government is also considering compensation plans put forward by local politicians to ease opposition to expansion of the other two landfills, at Tuen Mun and Ta Kwu Ling.